Fishing float



March 21, 1961 J. G. BIRRELI. 2,975,541

FISHING FLOAT Filed April 22, 1959 2 sheets-shewv 1 James G. Birre/l,zNI/ENTOR.

VBY d/away Hmm March 21, 1961 J, G, B|RRE| L 2,975,541

FISHING FLOAT Filed April 22, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7/ BY j WW2/wey meINVENTOR. /f'

United States Patent FISHING FLOAT y James G. Birrell, 6319 CorpusChristi St., Houston, Tex.

Filed Apr. 22, 1959, ser. N0. 808,099

` Claims. (Cl. 4'3-43-15) This invention relates to fishing floats andmore particularly to a multipurpose fishing float.

An object of the invention is to provide new and useful improvements incombination fishing oats enabling the float to be used as a poppingfloat and a casting oat and a sinking lioat permitting the fisherman tofish on the bottom but maintaining the fish hook off the bottom.

A float in accordance with the invention enables a fisherman to use theoat for casting, as a popping float and as a float that enables fishingon the bottom. However, when used in the latter type of fishing the hookis .maintained off the bottom, only the tip of a lead adapter touchingthe bottom as the float has sufficient buoyancy object (whileretrieving).

Accordingly, an object of the invention is -to provide a multipurposeshing float which is constructed and larranged to be easily convertedfor various types of on the line 2-2of of a float.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an adapter used on j the float. p

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lioat when it is used as a poppingfloat.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the float showing it as it wouldappear when used as a casting float.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevational view showing a modification of thefloat.

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken on the line 8 8 of Figure 7.

In the accompanying drawings there is a basic fishing float 10 which canbe converted for use in a number of ways. The basic construction of thefioat remains essentially identical for all fishing types. The oat body12 is hollow and buoyant and it is preferably made of plastic. The bodyhas a smoothly curved side wall and is tapered from end to end thereof.Seam 14 is at the juncture of the two sections 16 and 18 from which body12 is constructed. Nose 20 of the iioat body has an internally threadedsocket 22 in which a special plug 24 is threaded. The plug has anenlarged end 26 and a reduced, externally threaded shank 28 threaded insocket v 22. There is a groove 30 (Figure 4) in the side wall of head 26between the finger operating wings 31 and 32 that protrude laterallyoutwardly from the head. These trieving passes over the object..operations the hook 71 is spaced sufficiently from the Vfbow as shownin Figure l.

2,975,541 Patented Mar. 21, 1961 ICC wings are used -to facilitateturning the head for loosening and tightening shank 28 in the socket 22.External groove 34 extending lengthwise of section 18 forms asubstantial continuation of groove 30 when the head 24 is in oneposition of adjustment (see Figure 3). There is a wire loop 38 attachedto head 24, as by having the ends of the wire embedded in the head ofthe adapter, and the loop extends laterally outwardly of the float withVreference to the longitudinal central axis thereof.

The opposite end of the float body 12 has a pair of short fins 42 and 44in which the inner ends of the spring metal wire 46 are embedded. Asoldered clamp 48 is at the converged ends of the strands 49V and 50 ofwire 46, and there is `a soldered clamp S2 at the extremity of wire 46.Although these clamps are said to be soldered, it is to be clearlyunderstood that they may be adhered in some other way to the wire 46.Loop 54 is at the extremity of wire 46 and has the flexible steel wire56 extended therethrough. The inner end of wire S6 is attached to a fishline 58 which extends through a small eye 60 protruding laterallyoutwardly from body 12 in the region of fins 42 and 44. A swivel 62 isattached to wire 56, but is incapable of passing through eye 60 since itis of a larger diameter than the eye. The swivel 62 is attached to thefish line 58, and the fish line is extended through slot 34 and slot 30.A small portion 59 (Figure 2) of the fish line is clamped between theconfronting faces of socket 22 and the head 26 of adapter 24 so thatwhen the head is turned, after placing the fish line in slots 34 and 32,it is clamped tight therebetween and cannot slide in these grooves.

When used for fishing on the bottom, a weight 66 is attached by aconventional clamp 68 to the eye 38 (Figancy to enable this condition toexist. When the lead sinker touches an object, it swings back and whilere- Note that during .these bottom so that it will not snag. Thiscondition exists because the spring metal leader 56 has been pulled downwith reference to body 12 to the point at which it will Swivel 62 actsas a stop to establish this position when pulling the fish line 5S farenough to bring the swivel 62 against eye 6i) through which it cannotpass.

To use the float as a popping oat, the locking head is released byturning the head so that it becomes loose in socket 22. The line 58 ispulled up through an eye 54 to any chosen depth. Then the locking deviceis again set, clamping another portion 59 of the fish line between theconfronting faces of socket 22 and adapter 24. A typical arrangement asa popping lioat is shown in Figure 5, where there is only one ofnumerous possible lengths of line between the fish hook and lockingdevice.

To use the float as a casting float, the locking device is released anda small lead weight is attached to the shing line between swivel 62 andeye 54.. A knot larger than eye 38, is tied in the line the desireddistance that the fisherman wishes to fish. When the knot hits the eye38, line will stop sliding through eye 38.

Seam 14 not only is the juncture between the sections of the body 12,but it also functions as a shoulder keeping the float from drawing toomuch water and puts more action into the float when used as a poppingtloat.

The modified float a shown in Figures 7 and 8, is lfully capable of allthe actions of the described float 10 in Figures 1-6. The onlydifference is structural, wherein groove 38a has a bridge 33 extendingacross a portion thereof to hold the line 58a captive in groove 30a.This facilitates handling and adjusting by preventing line 58a Yfromescaping from groove 30a.

The foregoingV is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modiications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown andd'escribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equ-ivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A multipurpose convertible-type fishing device comprising anelongated buoyant body having a socket at one end of the body, anadapter having a portion thereof removably and adjustably connected withsaid one end by `way of said socket, a surface portion of said bodyadjacent said one end having a longitudinal groove, said adapter havinga groove cooperating with said first named groove and said adapter whenadjusted having its groove either in line or out of .line in respect tothe first named groove, a rish line removably seated in said grooves, aportion of the line being adapted to be located between confrontingfaces of the adapter and said one end of the body in a manner toclampingly fasten the sh line to the body, an eye at the other end ofthe body, an elongated generally straight reach wire attached to andextending 'from said other end of said body adjacent to said eye, thefish line extending through said eye, a leader, a swivel connecting saidleader to the end of the fish line, said swivel being of a diametergreater than the diameter Vof said eye to function as a stop when inengagement with said eye, and an additional eye on a free end of saidreach wire through which the leader extends.

2. The structure defined in claim l and wherein said adapter is providedwith a separa-te eye thus providing several simultaneously useable eyes,the eye on said adapter being iixed and projecting beyond the peripheralsurfaces of the adapter and being permanently in line with the groove inthe adapter.

3. The structure defined in claim 2 and wherein said adapter is providedon its peripheral surface with radially projecting wing-like lugsconstituting members for holding and turning the adapter, said adapterhaving a screwthreaded shank and said socket being screw-'threaded andsaid shank being screwed into said socket.

4. A multipurpose shing iioat comprising a buoyant body, a frictionclamping member for a shing line carried at one end of said body andadapted to grip a fishing line in predetermined selected positions, afirst eye at the other end of said body, a second eye carried by saidclamping member, a third eye, reach means extend-ing beyond and axiallyalined with said other end of said body and supporting said third eye ata position spaced from said body and `from said first eye and throughwhich the fishing line and a leader rn'ay be caused to pass, a springmetal leader, a swivel attaching said leader to the end of said' ishingline, said leader extended through said third eye and limited 'in its`longitudinal movement in Yone direction by engagement off `said swivelwith said iirst eye, said clamping'rhember embodying a threaded adaptersocket in said body accommodating said threaded adapter, the portion ofsaid body containing said socket and said threaded adapter havingadjustable parallel confronting faces between which a portion of theiish line is adapted to be gripped.

5. A multipurpose iishing device comprising an elongated body havingiins at one end, a reach member ernbodying side-by-side wires securedtogether and having diverging 'end portions Asecured to the respectivetins at `corresponding inner ends of the wires, the outer ends of saidwires being provided with a lateral loop constituting an eye, a secondeye at the iin-equipped end of said body, the other end of said bodyhaving a longitudinal line seating groove in a surface thereof, saidgroove being in general alignment with said second mentioned eye, anadapter removably mounted on the other end of said Ibody, vsaid otherend providing a 'line clamping sur- `face and said adapter having asurface opposed thereto permitting a portion off a line to be insertedbetween and clampingly held by the surfaces, said adapter being providedwith an eye cooperable iwith the already mentioned eyes and serving toaccommodate a portion o-f a line which is adapted to be passedtherethrough :and 'falso projecting freely from adjacent surfaces of theadapter to permit a readily connectible fastener on a sinker'to beconnected to said eye.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS458,129 Papin Aug. 18, 1891 463,032 Eichelberger Nov. lO, 1891 1,193,684Gregory et al. 11. Aug. 8, 19-16 1,759,381 West a May 20, 1930 1,850,748Foster Mar..22, 1932 2,255,793 Kridler Sept. 16, 1941 2,456,254 CarusoDec. 14, 1948 2,496,334 Chapman Feb. 7, 1950 2,759,291 Foglio Aug. 21,1956

